The seventh national parliamentary election was held on 12 June 1996. To write about this election, one must go back two years—to 20 March 1994. At the time, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was in power.
The Magura-2 constituency was held by the Awami League. When its Member of Parliament, Advocate Mohammad Asaduzzaman, passed away, a by-election had to be held.
Following a series of dramatic events surrounding that election, opposition parties jointly launched a movement demanding a caretaker government. That movement ultimately led to the 12 June 1996 election being held under a caretaker government.
The Magura by-election: Where it all began
The scale and intensity of campaigning in the Magura-2 by-election were rare in Bangladesh’s electoral history. There was hardly any major leader—whether from the government or the opposition—who did not visit the constituency, including the prime minister and the leader of the opposition. There was a reason this by-election suddenly assumed such importance.
Earlier that same year, on 30 January, elections were held for four city mayoral posts. Awami League candidates won in Dhaka and Chattogram, while BNP candidates won in Rajshahi and Khulna.
However, Dhaka and Chattogram were politically more significant. In this context, the ruling BNP needed to demonstrate that its popularity had not declined, while the Awami League sought to prove the opposite. As a result, the Magura by-election became the focal point of national political attention.
The BNP candidate, Kazi Salimul Haque, won the election. The Awami League alleged widespread violence and vote rigging. On the morning before the election, Chief Election Commissioner Justice Rouf went to Magura to observe the situation.
He was supposed to stay on polling day but unexpectedly returned to Dhaka on the night before the election, on the 19th. His mysterious departure further fuelled speculation. Upon returning, he said only, “I saw ministers there, the leader of the opposition there, and more than a hundred MPs present. So I felt there was no need for me to stay and returned.” (Ajker Kagoj, 21 March)
Movement for a caretaker government
Immediately after the by-election, demands were raised for its cancellation. From then on, opposition parties refused to participate in any election held under the BNP government. The Awami League, Jatiya Party, and Jamaat-e-Islami jointly demanded a non-party caretaker government. Rallies, blockades, clashes, and hartals became routine.
On 27 June 1994, the Awami League announced a framework for the caretaker government. On 6 November, opposition parties collectively decided to resign from parliament. On 28 December, 147 MPs from the Awami League, Jatiya Party, Jamaat, and the NDP resigned simultaneously. However, instead of accepting the resignations, Speaker Sheikh Razzak Ali declared the seats vacant on 31 July 1995 after the MPs were absent for 90 consecutive days.
In November that year, Commonwealth Secretary-General Emeka Anyaoku visited Bangladesh and sent his special envoy, former Australian governor Sir Ninian Martin Stephen, to mediate politically. Sir Ninian arrived in Bangladesh on 13 October and held dialogues with the two main political parties, but no effective outcome emerged. The much-discussed talks eventually collapsed, and he left Dhaka on 21 November.
The 15 February election
As the intensity of the movement and violence escalated, the fifth parliament was dissolved on 24 November 1995, and the sixth parliamentary election was scheduled for 15 February 1996. That election was one-sided and violent.
Held amid a 48-hour nationwide hartal, voter turnout was very low. Although all major political parties boycotted the polls, the election remains part of history. It was through the parliament formed by that election that the constitution was amended to introduce the caretaker government system.
After the election, once the BNP formed the government, the first session of parliament began on 19 March. The caretaker government bill was tabled on 21 March. Parliament sat throughout the night of 26 March to pass the bill, which was finally adopted at 6:00 am.
On 30 March, Prime Minister Khaleda Zia resigned, and following the dissolution of the sixth parliament, an 11-member caretaker government was formed under Justice Muhammad Habibur Rahman.
One of the most discussed developments during this period was the construction of the Janatar Mancha (People’s Platform) in front of the National Press Club. Dhaka Mayor Mohammad Hanif built the platform on 23 March. Alongside like-minded political parties, professionals and government officials also joined gatherings there. The participation of government officials in political rallies later had far-reaching negative consequences for the country’s politics and administration.
Formation of the caretaker government
After the caretaker government took office, Chief Election Commissioner Justice AKM Sadeq resigned on 6 April. Former secretary Mohammad Abu Hena joined as the new CEC on 8 April. The election schedule was announced on 27 April, setting 12 June as the date for the seventh parliamentary election. Both BNP and Awami League announced their candidate lists on 10 May.
The tenure of Justice Habibur Rahman’s caretaker government was far from smooth. The situation became particularly complex on 20 May when President Abdur Rahman Biswas forced Army Chief Lt Gen Abu Saleh Mohammad Nasim into retirement. The crisis began when two senior army officers were compulsorily retired without informing the army chief.
There were no mobile phones or social media at the time. The day turned into a city of rumours. There was no reliable information about what was happening inside the cantonments. Journalists tried various ways to verify facts. That afternoon, the president addressed the nation, saying, “The army chief has been retired for disobedience of orders and insubordination.”
Later in the evening, the chief adviser delivered another address, stating, “The president has taken certain steps at his own discretion.” (Ittefaq, 1996)
From the afternoon onwards, orders were broadcast on radio and television directing troops who had left cantonments in Mymensingh, Jashore, and Bogura to return. Ferry services in Manikganj were suspended. Military tanks began patrolling in front of Bangabhaban.
That night, Major General Mahbubur Rahman—who later joined the BNP—was appointed acting army chief.
The situation largely normalised the next day, although General Nasim remained under house arrest. After the election, while the victorious Awami League was in the process of forming a government, General Nasim and seven other army officers were released on 14 June. A day later, it was officially announced that seven officers had been retired and four dismissed.
Memories of election campaigning
In 1996, the primary mode of election campaigning involved extensive tours by the two main party leaders across constituencies. Car convoys would depart in the morning, with public rallies held throughout the day. Reporters had to follow closely behind.
Additionally, on the day before polling, leaders of the two main parties were given the opportunity to address the nation on television—a practice that had begun during the fourth parliamentary election in 1991.
Although I was a business reporter, elections offered no exemption. I had to travel from district to district, trailing the leaders. I was assigned to cover Sheikh Hasina’s final campaign tour, which began in Srimangal, Sylhet.
At the time, the only way to send reports to Dhaka was by fax—handwritten reports sent from government post offices.
I remember the first day’s rally continued late into the night. After it ended, journalists hurried to file their reports before dinner. Sheikh Hasina stayed at the Sylhet Circuit House. After sending reports, we returned late to find no food left.
That night, we roamed Sylhet city and eventually found an open hotel. The quality of the food was irrelevant at that point. The bigger problem was accommodation.
As many as 18 journalists from Dhaka were assigned rooms at a government rest house, but two senior party leaders accompanying Sheikh Hasina had occupied it and refused to open the doors. At around 3:00 am, we finally found a cheap hotel room. All 18 journalists spent the night crammed into that small room.
Awami League returns to power after 21 years
The election was held in a festive atmosphere, though there were some incidents of violence. Winning the election, the Awami League returned to power after 21 years, forming a government on 23 June with the support of the Jatiya Party. Sheikh Hasina took oath as prime minister.
After completing his duties, Chief Adviser Muhammad Habibur Rahman delivered his farewell address on 22 June. He said, “At this moment of farewell, I have a special appeal to political leaders. Build such political norms and practices around the new parliament that never again will there be a need to take to the streets to resolve political disputes, to patronise violent forces, or to place deadly weapons in the hands of university students. During my brief tenure, I have witnessed boundless intolerance among political parties. Create a process so that no one has to witness such intolerance and agitation in the future.”
History bears witness that political parties paid little heed to this advice.
Sources:
Bangladesher Nirbachoni Bebostha o Folafol (Bangladesh’s Electoral System and Results), edited by Nesar Amin, Oitijjhya
Contemporary editions of The Daily Ittefaq, The Daily Sangbad, and The Daily Ajker Kagoj